We strive for radiation-safe well-being
Last summer, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority finalised its new strategy that will guide our work in the coming years. Our new vision is very concise: Radiation-safe well-being.
We create radiation-safe well-being in the form of three strategic goals: doing our part for overall safety, improving our ability to anticipate and capacity for renewal and taking care of the foundation of our operations that is the well-being of our own agency. We also updated our values. Appreciation was added alongside openness, courage and co-operation.
Where did the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority’s new vision come from and how did it come about, and why did STUK consider these goals to be important on the way to the vision? Jussi Heinonen, STUK's Director, talks about the new strategy and its conception.
How did the strategy come about?
We drew up our strategy in close co-operation with STUK’s personnel, customers and other stakeholders. We analysed our operating environment and considered changes in it when drawing up our strategy. In particular, we looked at the future of the nuclear energy field, the impacts of artificial intelligence, the development of public trust and the state of our organisational culture.
We also retained themes of the previous strategy that remain important.
In the future, we will carry out a simialr more extensive review every four years in connection with each new Government Programme, while still maintaining our strategy constantly up to date.
The vision is composed of three words radiation, safety and well-being. Why these words?
Our vision emphasises the importance of well-being more clearly than before: that our ultimate task as an authority is to promote the well-being of people and society.
STUK carries out this task in the form of safety. We make sure that it is safe to live with radiation and that radiation and nuclear energy can be used safely to produce good. Safety and a sense of security are essential for well-being.
How does STUK affect the overall safety of society?
A core objective of our strategy is to be a responsible contributor to overall safety. This objective is closely connected to the well-being and sense of safety expressed in the vision. Like other authorities, we work every day to ensure the overall safety of society. Currently, the focus in overall safety is extreme crises, such as war and strengthening crisis resilience. As a safety supervisory authority, our job is to ensure the safety of daily life, resulting in a sense of security and crisis resilience.
We also want to examine threats and risks to society as a whole and assess whether the requirements targeted at radiation and nuclear safety are proportionate to the requirements set to prevent other threats. Currently, it seems particularly important to carefully assess what society’s resources are used for in the changing world full of various threats.
How does STUK develop its own operations?
We aim to strengthen our ability to anticipate and capacity for renewal. This refers to our ability to assess the changes in the world and adapt our actions accordingly. For example, we want to better prepare for different threats and improve our ability to maintain situational awareness in a fast-paced world that is difficult to predict.
We will also continue to renew our supervision and services. In regards to supervision, it is essential to target it targeted to where the risk is significant. When we provide services, we need to know our customers’ expectations and develop services accordingly.
All of this requires that we invest particularly in analysing and utilising data.
What does STUK consider as prerequisites for its ability to function well and produce as much benefit and well-being as possible for society?
In our strategy, we have given more prominence to the foundation of all of our operations: well-being within the agency. It is built on four cornerstones:
- High level of professional competence — competent and motivated personnel
- Happy work community — employees that feel well are efficient and innovative
- Strong trust — support for our work from the public and our stakeholders
- Financial sustainability — resources and responsible financial management.
We need to follow up these cornerstones and make sure they remain strong.
How does STUK monitor the implementation of the strategy and ensure that the direction remains correct in a rapidly changing world?
Implementation of the strategy requires continuous evaluation. We are developing our supervisory methods, strengthening project management and creating a comprehensive set of indicators for monitoring our objectives.
A rolling strategy process enables us to adapt to changes in the operating environment quickly and efficiently. This allows us to ensure that STUK will continue to be a reliable authority that builds safety and well-being for society.
Read more about STUK's strategy in Finnish (stuk.fi, soon also in English)
